LuxTurrim5G shows first demos and great cooperation

Nokia Bell Labs driven LuxTurrim5G ecosystem project coordinated by Spinverse is proceeding well and with high speed. This ambitious and multidisciplinary R&D project with 9 companies and 3 research institutes will bring fast 5G networks to street level and enable new digital services via smart light poles with integrated antennas, screens and a set of different sensors. First demos were shown at the event and piloting in Espoo starts soon as the first smart light poles are being mounted at Nokia Campus next week.

Our society and cities face great challenges to improve safety, energy efficiency, air quality, effective transportation and quality of living. A new generation digital ecosystem is needed to enable smart city infrastructure and services. This calls for a high-speed high-capacity 5G communications network. But the high frequencies used in 5G will lead to small cell size, i.e. dense network of antennas which sets new challenges and possibilities for the mobile networks and city infra building.

LuxTurrim5G project aims to solve current digital ecosystem challenges with the following actions: A new smart light pole with 5G capability for small cells and many integrated sensors is developed to enable fast high-speed communications and new digital services. The smart 5G light pole includes data transport from access points to core 5G network and provides open interfaces for service platforms of operators, micro-operators and vertical industries. The interfaces enable to use a single 5G network for all different services and providers in relevant smart city and 5G mobile network applications. LuxTurrim5G thus enables the crucial backbone of new digital ecosystem for a smart city.

Several service examples will be piloted to test the platform: video surveillance, weather and air quality monitoring, navigation, info sharing (active screens) and smart lighting. These are combined to modern city planning tools and business development.

LuxTurrim5G is proceeding fast from R&D to piloting. The first early-phase demos were on show at the event including a 5G antenna element with 64 small antennae (by Nokia Bell Labs), signal window concept for 5G (by Lammin Windows) and a 3D model for modern city planning including smart 5G poles (by Sitowise). The first parts of the novel 5G smart light pole based test network will be built in Nokia Campus in Espoo, Finland already by the end of this year to start the piloting work within the project. During next year the plan is to mount 10 smart light poles to allow wider development of new digital services.

LuxTurrim5G ecosystem project has shown already during the first project year really intensive cooperation which has led to good results. This was highlighted also by the Tekes CEO Pekka Soini in his opening speech. The partners include Nokia Bell Labs, Sitowise, Exel Composites, Premix, Lammin Windows and Doors, Vaisala, Teleste, Indagon, C2 Smart Light, VTT, Tampere University of Technology (TUT), Aalto University and Spinverse as the project coordinator. Espoo city is involved as the piloting partner and learning the practical design aspects of smart city infrastructure. The project, set in first phase for three years, is funded by the companies and Tekes.

Pekka Soini, Director General of Tekes the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation and Rajeev Suri, President and CEO of Nokia discussing the LuxTurrim5G demos at the exhibition.